Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Des cas de nobles hommes et femmes
France, Paris, ca. 1475
MS M.342 fol. 8r

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Boccaccio: Text, De Casibus Virorum Illustrium, Book 1 -- Four scenes shown in continuous narrative, with the first two set in Garden of Eden watered by four rivers originating at fountain:
1) Eve: Creation -- God, wearing triple-crowned papal tiara and cope, with right hand raised in blessing, stands and with left hand holds left arm of Eve, nude, standing behind Adam, nude, lying on ground. Scene in Garden of Eden.
2) Adam and Eve: Fall of Man -- Human-headed serpent is wound around tree flanked by Adam, eating fruit, and Eve, with right hand holding left hand of Adam, both nude. Scene in Garden of Eden.
3) Adam and Eve: Expulsion -- Angel, wingless, holding raised sword in right hand, drives through gate of Garden of Eden Adam and Eve, both covering themselves with arms and leaves.
4) Adam and Eve: at Labor -- Adam, wearing skins, raises hoe above patch of ground. Eve, wearing skins, seated on ground before house, winds wool with distaff and spindle.
Decorated initial Q enclosing strawberry plant with two berries.
In margins, ivy-rinceaux foliate ornament.